Quake children visit Disneyland
Twenty-two students from Sichuan province had the chance to take their minds off the devastating May 12 earthquake yesterday when they visited Hong Kong Disneyland as part of a free five-day tour of the city.
Most of the children from Chifeng town in Pengzhou, aged eight to 17, lost one or both parents in the quake. Others were chosen because of their good grades or underprivileged backgrounds. The visit was jointly sponsored by China Travel Service and Hong Kong Disneyland, and for most of the youngsters it was their first trip out of the mainland.
Wu Wenfu, headmaster of Chifeng Primary School, hoped the excitement of a visit to Hong Kong could offer the children hope for the future.
The primary school was destroyed by the earthquake. Three middle-school students from a neighbouring area were killed by falling debris, while 15 were severely injured.
Classes resumed on June 6 in makeshift classrooms formed by propped-up wooden boards.
Zheng Shiliang, 17, who was orphaned by the quake, said he felt 'lucky and happy' about the concern shown by the people of Hong Kong.
Dong Ting, 14, who lost her mother and her home, said her first visit to Hong Kong had been unbelievable. The girl, a big fan of Mickey Mouse, said she had been greatly excited when she saw her favourite cartoon character.
